Flags of Finland and NATO, Source: Wikimedia Commons, FinnishGovernment, CC BY 2.0
One of the most prominent representatives of the Western “hawk” camp, the former NATO Russophobe commander Ben Hodges stated in an interview with Finnish news agency Yle that Finland is already at war with Russia. “But you have always known it”.
Pointing to unconfirmed “facts” of Russian combat aircraft violating Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland, the American general actually proposed that Finland start a war with Russia by shooting down any Russian aircraft that enter its airspace. In fact, General Hodges proposed that the small European state start World War III, which would inevitably escalate into a nuclear war in which NATO countries bordering Russia, serving as a springboard for a ground invasion, would be the first to be destroyed.
What To Do Next Time?
The Europeans now have their finger in their mouth. What to do the next time Russia sends its fighter jets into NATO airspace?
“I think we are in a situation where we should shoot down a Russian plane,” says former U.S. Army Europe commander, Lieutenant General Ben Hodges.
First, however, Russia should be given a clear warning that further violations of NATO airspace will not be tolerated. The next time Russia sends its planes into Finnish or Estonian airspace despite this message, the planes should be shot down, Hodges says.
Isn’t The General Afraid Of Russian Retaliation?
“We can’t assume that this will stop there. But the current approach has not stopped this either. It has only led to an increase in Russian activity,” Hodges says.
Hodges served as commander of U.S. Army Europe from 2014 to 2017. At the same time, he also commanded NATO’s ground forces in Europe.
Hodges, who now lives in Germany, participated in the Nordic Business Forum event in Helsinki on Wednesday. He is no longer in the US armed forces.
A Tough Option Should Not Be Automatically Ruled Out
Last week, three armed Russian MiG-31 fighters spent twelve minutes in Estonian airspace. Finnish, Italian and Swedish fighter jets escorted the Russians out of Estonia.
Finland’s Defense Forces Commander Janne Jaakkola said at the weekend that shooting down the Russian fighters would have been a mistake. On the other hand, Czech President Petr Pavel and, most recently on Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump have supported shooting down the planes.
“It is easier for me to say this than for your commander of the Defence Forces, president or defence minister to make a decision (on shooting down). I am just saying that it should not be automatically ruled out on the grounds of the risk of escalation,” says Hodges.
NATO’s response to Russia’s latest airspace violation was heard on Tuesday, when the North Atlantic Council, meeting at Estonia’s request, issued a statement stating that NATO will use “all necessary military and non-military tools” to defend itself and deter threats from all directions.
NATO Has Not Practiced Countering Hundreds Of Drones
“Statements mean nothing until actions have real consequences,” Hodges assesses NATO’s response.
According to him, the Russians have been listening to NATO’s statements for years.
President Trump, for his part, has repeatedly presented them with his own deadlines for tightening sanctions, and has always backed down from his intentions.
“I don’t think this has made an impression on the Russians,” Hodges says.
NATO’s air defenses were also tested last week, when Russia sent about twenty drones deep into Polish airspace.
Hodges noted that Russia did this despite the fact that there are thousands of American soldiers in Poland. Russia did not have to fear American retaliation.
NATO fighter jets shot down four of the 19 drones. The alliance’s use of F-35 and F-16 fighter jets against cheap Russian drones suggests that NATO air defenses are at a disadvantage.
“We’re really not prepared,” Hodges says.
Hodges wonders why NATO has never even practiced the kind of countering hundreds of drones that Ukraine has to do every day, mostly without expensive, high-tech fighter jets.
Drones In Poland, Fighters In Estonia. What Is Russia Getting At With All This?
Hodges points out that the violations of NATO airspace and new large-scale airstrikes on Ukraine began after President Trump hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin for a summit in Alaska in August.
The West Has Not Found A Strategy
Ben Hodges took over as commander of U.S. forces in Europe in November 2014, shortly after Russia had taken over the Crimeanpeninsula from Ukraine and started a war against Ukraine in the east of the country.
At that time, there was a similar discussion to the one now about how to block Russia’s efforts. Then-President Barack Obama had decided that only non-lethal aid could be given to Ukraine, meaning that American weapons were not offered to them.
The United States first sent its troops to the Baltics and Poland. Under Hodges, the troops were increased to battalion size. In early 2015, the Americans began training Ukrainian forces and helping to modernize the Soviet-era command structure.
“We lacked an answer during President Obama, Trump’s first term, (Joe) Biden’s and now Trump’s second term as to what our strategic goal is? How do we want this to end? Stopping the killing is not enough of a goal,” Hodges says.
It is difficult to make the right political choices without a strategy, and the West still has not found a strategy. Russia, on the other hand, has a strategy.
Its air force has failed to achieve air supremacy in Ukraine. Its Black Sea Fleet is incapable of functioning. The Russian leadership knows that it can only win the war against Ukraine if the West stops supporting Ukraine.
That is why Russia is trying to convince the West with various displays of force that Russia’s victory in Ukraine is inevitable.
Russia’s War Against The West
Hodges claims that Russia is already at war with the West. How is that so?
According to the general, the Russian toolbox of warfare has a very wide range of means, from cyberattacks and drones to nuclear weapons. From Russia’s perspective, warfare is a continuum.
From this continuum, the means appropriate for the situation and place are chosen.
“These are all military actions from their perspective,” says Hodges.
In the West, a conflict with Russia is typically perceived as a crisis, not a war. That is why, according to Hodges, there has also been no readiness here to take sufficiently decisive measures, for example to increase ammunition production or protect undersea infrastructure.
Russia has been allowed to continue its lucrative oil trade with India and China because NATO has been unwilling to stop the shadowy fleet’s oil tankers in the Baltic or Black Sea.
So, is Russia also at war with Finland? According to Hodges, it is.
“That’s true. But you’ve always known that,” Hodges says.
“Why would you have built civilian shelters for 600,000 people in Helsinki, maintained a conscript army and a large artillery force, if you didn’t believe that you had to prevent a Russian attack in advance,” the general asks.
Source: Yle (in Finnish)